


Deception

by LeBean



Series: Naruto LJ Prompt Fills [7]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Ficlet, Not Beta Read, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-13
Updated: 2016-11-13
Packaged: 2018-08-30 16:48:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8540902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeBean/pseuds/LeBean
Summary: After Sasuke goes rogue, Konoha puts out a mission to find and kill him. Naruto volunteers for it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written and posted in 2012 for [This Prompt](http://naruto-meme.livejournal.com/21986.html?thread=2813922#t2813922) in LJ.  
>  **Prompt:** Naruto volunteers to assasinate Sasuke
> 
> Not Beta Read, so any mistakes are mine, and mine alone.
> 
> _italics_ \- flashback
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy!

It was a rainy day when Naruto headed back to Konoha.

* * *

  _It was a rainy day when Sasuke left Konoha, too._

* * *

Naruto was carrying the scroll that would forever define his allegiance to his country. Ever since he insisted on taking this mission alone two years ago, he seriously considered just turning around and being declared rogue, but he had to do it. Someone had to.

* * *

_"I was the one who couldn't stop him from leaving," He insisted, "I'll bring him back alive even if I have to break both his arms and legs to do it." Tsunade handed him the scroll with a somber expression on her face that said bringing him back alive wasn't an option. He knew why he was being offered this mission. He was the last person in Konoha who still wanted Sasuke alive._  
  
_"He willingly left Konoha, Naruto. He tried to kill you just to leave," Tsunade reasoned. "We already gave him a chance to come back twice and he didn't take it. This is your chance to prove yourself as a shinobi."_  
  
_Naruto wanted to shout and cry and stab Tsunade between the eyes at that moment. But, but… he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could do it. To prove himself as a shinobi… He took the mission scroll with trembling hands._

* * *

He stopped at the top of the tallest tree on a hill which gave the perfect view of the Hokage mountain from a distance. A quick glance of the scroll made him sigh. He couldn't understand why the elders and the Hokage went straight for an assassination mission instead of a second retrieval one. Sasuke wasn't that dangerous to the country. Aside from the part where he was hunting down his S-class rogue nin brother, Sasuke was more of a danger to himself. Siding with Orochimaru, really?

* * *

_Sharingan eyes dared Naruto to stare back and be caught in an illusion. After two years, he finally found Sasuke alone. Sasuke was standing on the edge of the hole he made from exploding the ceiling of the hideout. Naruto was at the bottom of the hole, concentrating on Sasuke's hands instead. "So confident in your skills that you can bring me back alone, Naruto?"_  
  
_The jinchuuriki shook his head. "The orders were to kill you, Sasuke. They did not want you back alive." The mission scroll felt heavy in his pocket._  
  
_Naruto blinked, and Sasuke was right in front of him. Sasuke placed his right hand on Naruto's shoulder, almost giving him a hug. His left hand was firmly holding his sword, ready to pull out and kill at any time. "They?" Sasuke breathed on Naruto's ear. So many questions with that one word._

* * *

Naruto wanted to drag this out as long as he could. He walked a sedate pace towards the Hokage tower, avoiding as many ninjas as he could. By now, the Hokage would have received intel that he was back.

* * *

_Naruto met Sasuke's eyes for the first time that day. He nodded, his Konoha forehead protector in his other pocket. "They." So many answers in that one word, too._

* * *

Tsunade was alone in her office when she unsealed the scroll containing the result of Naruto's mission. She thought that Naruto didn't have the will to do what needed to be done, but there it was. Saskue's body was missing its eyes, and had a hole it its chest which suspiciously looked like it was run through with a rasengan. Her apprentice confirmed that it was indeed Sasuke's body. If Naruto can sacrifice one friend for the sake of Konoha's safety- something Jiraiya failed to do- maybe he could be trusted to become a fine Hokage someday after all.  
  
Naruto was sitting on top of the Fourth Hokage's head, staring at nothing. Sakura did not acknowledge him, Kakashi did not talk to him outside of missions, and the rest of his class thought he killed his former teammate. It's what he wants them to think. He was used to being looked down on, anyway. Isn't that what shinobi were supposed to be good at? Deception?  
  
When he becomes Hokage, he'll change the laws around so no-one will have to go through what he and Sasuke went through. Never again.

* * *

_"Hey, have you ever copied Kabuto's technique on look-alike corpses?"_  
  
_"I didn't just copy it, dobe."_  
  
_"Oi! I'm trying to hel-"_  
  
_"-I perfected it."_

* * *

On the outskirts of Amekagure, Sasuke was planning on the best way to assassinate his brother, or infiltrate Akatsuki, whichever comes first. Thanks to Naruto, Konoha was no longer a hindrance to his mission of revenge. Thanks to him, Naruto might have the chance of fulfilling his dream of becoming Hokage. Kakashi did teach the importance of teamwork, after all.


End file.
